Kristin Scott Thomas to play Queen Elizabeth II in London

Kristin Scott Thomas will have to tone down her natural glamour and don a series of conservative dresses as Queen Elizabeth II in a return London engagement of “The Audience.” The role was first played in London by Helen Mirren, who will appear in the Broadway run of the play in 2015.

Scott-Thomas is scheduled to begin the West End run at the Apollo Theatre in May, while Mirren will reprise the role in New York at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, with an opening in March.

“The Audience,” written by Peter Morgan, imagines the closed-door meetings between Britain’s ruling monarch and the many prime ministers who have served under her, including Winston Churchill and the current David Cameron.

Morgan wrote the screenplay for the movie “The Queen,” for which Mirren won an Oscar portraying Queen Elizabeth II. (The actress won an Olivier Award -- Britain’s highest theater honor -- for “The Audience” in 2013.)

During the first London run of the play, Morgan revised the text in response to current events in British government and abroad.

Scott Thomas is currently appearing in a London production of “Medea,” at the Old Vic. She has performed in several London stage productions including “The Seagull” as well as revivals of Harold Pinter’s “Betrayal” and “Old Times.”

Both the London and Broadway productions of “The Audience” are directed by Stephen Daldry.

Twitter: @DavidNgLAT